Making your own business

Maybe you’re still only dreaming about starting your own design business.

Or perhaps you’re doing a few side-jobs in your free time hoping to start a design business full-time.

Maybe you’ve just started your design business but need a bit of a boost to take it to the next level.

Wherever you are in the process of starting your own design business, this post is for you.

(And if you want more than just these 10 tips, check out our favorite and most helpful articles on starting and running your own business. You should also subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll send you tons of stuff to help you build a design business.)

1) Understand your situation

No one is ever 100% ready to start their own design business with absolutely no risk, all reward.

Business just isn’t like that.

Some life situations, however, reduce the risk. For example, it’s less risky to start your own business if:

Your household or family isn’t completely dependent on your current income for stability.

You’ve got savings or other income you can use while building your client base.

You’re already working a full- or part-time job and can continue to do so until you don’t have time for it.

You’ve already got clients you’re working for in your free time–and even better if they’d like you to take on more projects.

Remember: many businesses don’t really get rolling until years 2 to 3, so be prepared to need another source of money in the early days of starting your design business to ensure you can pay your bills.